[DruannB]

Well, I was young and stupid. I no longer use embalming fluid. Olive oil is a heavier oil, ideal for soap making, but not the best oil to apply directly to your skin. It doesn't allow your skin to breathe as well as, say, Hazelnut oil, which is what I use in my facial moisturizer. I never use shea butter straight either, but people who don't want to buy extra ingredients do--and use socks. I whip shea butter with other products to cut down on the grease and it makes a great body butter. And many quality oils contain vitamin E, or you can buy vitamin E and add it to your concoctions, so you don't have to buy olive oil. Probably the best oil available just at a grocery store would be extra virgin coconut oil. Check out my website, Home | timeout4me, where I blog about ingredients. I also send out a monthly newsletter with DIY recipes. And I'm sure your skin looks great. Half the battle is not ignoring your skin.

[Barefoot]

Uptown Girl and Druann ...

You both sound very knowledgeable. Do you have any suggestions for a good non comedogenic moisturer?

[DruannB]

Here is the link to the one I make, with a choice of preservative or no preservative. It makes your face feel baby smooth. I tried many recipes before I tweaked this one to my satisfaction. My customers love it.

Aloe Vera & Green Tea Moisturizer | timeout4me

[Uptown Girl]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Uptown Girl and Druann ...

You both sound very knowledgeable. Do you have any suggestions for a good non comedogenic moisturer?

Bare,
I don't have any products to sell- so I have no horse in this race. I am sure Druann has wonderful products she has formulated, is proud of and has had great success with.

Here's what I do with the DHC olive oil: (DHC is a Japanese company, by the way- I have no affiliation)

I use one squirt of the cleanser on my fingers, rub it all over my face and neck, then rinse with warm water and follow with a light scrub of warm, wet washcloth. This olive oil is water-soluble, meaning it WILL rinse off with no problem.
If I am going into the shower, I put the cleanser on and wash it off once I am in there. Just stick my face under the shower head, rub with my hands, then follow with the washcloth.

I pat my face with a towel ( just a bit) then apply one squirt of the olive oil moisturizer, while my face is still dewey- moist. I put it everywhere but my forehead and nose- that does well left alone. This means I put it around my eyes too.

I let it soak in, and when my face is air dry, ( a few moments) I apply my makeup.
I have not had a clogged pore since I began using these two products.

For me- the key is the warm, wet washcloth. I keep a stack of white ones (purchased in a bundle at Costco) and use a fresh one each time I cleanse my face. I have two dozen tucked in my bath cabinet. After use, I wring them out hang them over the edge of my utility laundry tub until dry, then toss them in the laundry.
Yep, I have a little extra laundry because of it- but they give me gentle exfoliation, and using them assures that all traces of makeup and cleanser are gone.

The products are not the cheapest, but each bottle lasts a long time- months. Two bottles under my sink- not a whole slew of things.
I can only say I get great results- and I am not easily persuaded.

One more thing- the DHC olive oil moisturizer has improved my eyelashes.

[Laurie2]

I was doing an internet search for info on starting yoga at this point in life when I found a website that kept me reading on not just yoga, but also lots of other topics of interest to women. It was nice to find articles geared to women my age.

The site is sixtyandme.com and it is worth taking a look.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by [Laurie2

The site is sixtyandme.com and it is worth taking a look.

I just looked at the website and I REALLY like it. Finally, a website for golden girls.

[Barefoot]

I had the worst nails. Worst! They were always breaking and splitting.
So I used nail hardeners. I have them in every color, even plain with sparklies.
Then I read on several medical websites that nails were starving for moisture if they split.
And that the worst thing to do was wear nail hardeners, remove them with nail polish remover and reapply.

They suggested a simple solution - every time you wash your hands, you MUST also cream them. Every time.
So I did this for a couple of weeks, no change.
I did it for a month, my nails started to improve.

I've now been doing it for three months.
Wow, what a difference. My nails are long and strong and luscious.
Try it, you will NOT be disappointed!

[lovsthosebigdogs]

My nails are thin and brittle and except for when I was taking prenatal vitamins a million years ago, have always been like this. I wash my hands a zillion times a day it seems. Maybe I will have to start keeping a bottle of lotion next to each sink and trying this. If not only for the cosmetics of it all, then because it makes me crazy that they chip and I am always having to reach for a file, and I mean ALWAYS. Very annoying. Thanks for the tip.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by lovsthosebigdogs

My nails are thin and brittle and except for when I was taking prenatal vitamins a million years ago, have always been like this. I wash my hands a zillion times a day it seems. Maybe I will have to start keeping a bottle of lotion next to each sink and trying this. If not only for the cosmetics of it all, then because it makes me crazy that they chip and I am always having to reach for a file, and I mean ALWAYS. Very annoying. Thanks for the tip.

I didn't realize at all that my nails were starving for moisture.
I hardly ever used hand cream .. Just couldn't be bothered.
Now I keep hand cream everywhere .. By each sink, in my car, in my bag, I am always moisturizing.
I would not have believed the difference it makes!
I cannot remember my nails ever being strong and healthy.
Good luck, I hope it works for you.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

I didn't realize at all that my nails were starving for moisture.
I hardly ever used hand cream .. Just couldn't be bothered.
Now I keep hand cream everywhere .. By each sink, in my car, in my bag, I am always moisturizing.
I would not have believed the difference it makes!
I cannot remember my nails ever being strong and healthy.
Good luck, I hope it works for you.

Okay, I have a question. Since you're having to moisturize constantly, does that mean you cannot use polish on your nails? I am confused, because using polish on your nails means you have to use nail polish remover. So if I want my nails to become stronger and not split, does that mean they will never have nail polish on them?

[jojo]

I had the same question as CFrance. I assume you use the cream on bare nails?

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by CFrance

Okay, I have a question. Since you're having to moisturize constantly, does that mean you cannot use polish on your nails? I am confused, because using polish on your nails means you have to use nail polish remover. So if I want my nails to become stronger and not split, does that mean they will never have nail polish on them?

Yes. If you want strong nails, polish and nail polish remover are NOT your friends.
Because you are moisturizing the whole nail bed, not just the top of the nail.
It did take me two or three months to get from weak, splitting nails to strong healthy nails. Patience is required!
I honestly thought I was just genetically programmed to go through life with weak nails.
Occasionally, if I want my nails to look pretty, I take an old toothbrush and scrub my nails with lemon juice mixed with salt.
It makes the white parts really white. And then I make sure to moisturize again.
It makes my nails look like "pink and whites" that I used to get with gel nails.
If I wanted to wear nail polish, I probably could, if I made sure I removed it and then kept moisturizing.
But I find now I want things in my life to be simple.

[Laurie2]

Does anyone know a hairstylist in TV who can do a shag haircut, short version? (the cut that has been evolving since the 70's) It is still called "the shag" but might have another name, too, now. The secret to getting it right seems to be precision layering. Anybody?

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Laurie2

Does anyone know a hairstylist in TV who can do a shag haircut, short version? (the cut that has been evolving since the 70's) It is still called "the shag" but might have another name, too, now. The secret to getting it right seems to be precision layering. Anybody?

You might want to try Urban Hair in Oxford, over by Bargains and Treasures.
Just south of CR 466. I had really good results from downstairs Whitney.
She is honest and if you give her a call, she'll tell you if she knows how to cut a shag.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now I have a hair question......
I bet Uptown Girl or someone out there knows the answer.
I have developed severe allergies to all kinds of hair color. So I've decided to grow out my natural color.
If it were all gray, I would go blonde and let it grow out gradually. But it is about 60% dark and 40% grey. Really awful.
Right now I have it streaked, but you can still notice the grey/dark roots growing out and I hate it.
I don't want to cut it short, which is what a lot of friends have done to aid in the "going grey" process.
Is there any way to tastefully grow out my natural hair color, or am I doomed to look like a bag lady for the next year or two?

[Uptown Girl]

Hi Bare-
I faced the same situation. The options aren't great.
There are a few products (I found online) that can help blend the demarcation line, but they are temporary cosmetics- and wash off. One is like a mascara wand- basically for around your face/hairline- one is a shaker of colored fibers- more for the top of your head. If you follow it with a shot of hairspray, it stays put.
I used these when I was still working and had to be in the public eye. It was a pain, but got me through for a time.

When bopping around casually, I wore a low ponytail and a baseball hat.
I wanted to get a wig, but friends and family talked me out of it.

Eventually, I decided to cut my hair into a pixie to get rid of the majority of color. My hair was originally below my shoulders. The pixie was a shock- to myself and to others- and I still had to deal with dark tips, which now looked awful. No way to camouflage the ends.
It took well over a year before I liked my hair again. My hair is now silver-white and I have embraced the look. My husband says he likes it a lot. (My avatar is how I USED to look- a hundred years ago!)


In retrospect- I would get a great looking wig while transitioning to your new natural color. Better yet, I'd get two, to always have a fresh one handy. And I'd keep it my secret.